Royalty Revived
by HHHereComesTrouble
Summary: She couldn't go back there. Not now. Not after all she endured trying to get away. But in order to live in tranquility, Stephanie is compelled to repair the past she's afraid to confront. HHH/Steph. Sequel to My Prince Awaits.
1. Chapter 1

So I REALLY didn't want to post another story, considering the number of unfinished fics I already have. But a lot of you have been requesting this one and I'm horrible at not giving into peer pressure! Most of this has been written for quite some time, so what the hell; I might as well upload it. Starts off slow, but I have a lot in store. Most of the things left hanging in MPA will have answers provided. Enjoy and drop a comment!

* * *

"I'm all ready for bed now, Mommy!"

An amused smile crossed her face at the little voice nearby. Stephanie glanced up from the screen of her laptop, unable to keep her smile from expanding. She swung her legs over the side of the mattress and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her daughter's ear.

"It's about time," she chuckled. "Your poor dad is probably about ready to keel over any second now." Aurora grinned at the mention of her father.

"He told me the princess story again."

"That's your favorite, huh?"

"Uh-huh." The six-year-old nodded her head vigorously, but failed to stifle back a yawn. Her lids were heavy, an evident sign of exhaustion. Stephanie was just relieved that Aurora was getting to bed before ten. The poor girl took after her mom when it came to being a night owl. And it certainly didn't help that Paul enjoyed getting the kids all wound up before bedtime. He'd done so tonight per usual, which was why Stephanie rewarded him with the task of winding them down.

"Come on, sweetheart," she hushed, standing up from the bed. "Let's get you all tucked in." Stephanie grabbed her daughter's hand and led her down the dim hallway of the house. The only sound audible was the low buzzing of the nightlight on the wall. An orange glow illuminated the corridor. As they passed by it she decided to hold off on checking in on her other children until Aurora was settled. Her tiny feet were already dragging against the beige carpet.

Careful not to cause any disturbance, they slipped in through the open door of the bedroom without making a peep. The light was already switched on, revealing the snoozing figure lying on top of the pink comforter of the bed. Stephanie smiled while Aurora released her hand and scurried forward. She tugged on her father's rather large arm that was dangling over the edge of the mattress.

"Hey!" she whined. "This is my bed, Daddy!"

Paul stirred in his slumber, but didn't open his eyes. This only drew more frustration out of the tiny brunette. Her facial expression made it obvious that she was anything but pleased. Meanwhile, Stephanie watched from the entryway to the bedroom, leaning against the doorframe blissfully. Even now, it was still hard for her to fathom that the little girl before her very eyes had been created out of the love shared between her and Paul. How could she partake in conceiving something so beautiful? Her eyes travelled back to her daughter.

"Move!" Aurora cried, pulling at his limb with all the strength she could muster in her six-year-old body. She eventually fell onto her backside with a huff. Crossing her arms in defeat, she looked up to her mother with a pleading stare. Stephanie giggled until the child shrieked in desperation. "Mommy, help!"

"Okay, baby girl."

Stephanie shook her head lightly as she padded across the floor, until she was hovering over her sleeping husband. He looked so peaceful. His long golden strands were sprawled across the cotton pillow and his blonde eyelashes were resting at the top of his cheeks. The muscles of his abdomen rippled as his chest rise and fell with each breath he took. And the black track pants he wore hung low on his waist, just the way Stephanie preferred them. Her husband really was the epitome of perfection – both appearance and personality wise. It was moments like these that she wondered how the hell she'd gotten so lucky. Paul was everything to her and it made her giddy inside to know that she was everything to him. Even now, as she looked at him, her heart swelled with love. She gently rested her hand upon his stomach and lowered her mouth to his ear.

"Wake up, baby."

"Mmmm…" He sighed momentarily before letting his eyes flutter open. They appeared to be more of a golden color right now, but that was subject to change at any given second. With her husband's hazel eyes, the next shade was unpredictable. Sometimes they were green; sometimes they were brown. But that was just one of the many things that made him one of a kind. His muffled voice drew Stephanie away from her thoughts. "You smell good."

She felt her cheeks flood with heat as she instantly sprung upright. Damn her inability to control her emotions around him. After nearly seven years spent of her life knowing – and loving – this man, he still elicited the same reaction out of her that he did from day one. But she guessed that was a good thing. She knew it was a good thing. It meant that the spark of their romance hadn't diminished even the slightest bit. If anything, their love for one another had only grown stronger as time went on. Paul parted his lips, undoubtedly to tease her about the blush that currently stained her cheeks, but their yawning daughter intervened.

"You're in my bed, Daddy," she stated as she climbed up onto the mattress, then onto her father's chest. Despite her irritation, Aurora snuggled into the crook of his neck, letting his stubbly beard tickle her forehead. Paul chuckled at her annoyance with him and rubbed her back soothingly. A pretense pout formed on his lips.

"I'm sorry, munchkin," he began. "But Daddy gets sleepy trying to put you to bed."

"Maybe Daddy wouldn't have to try so hard to put you to bed if he didn't get you all wired in the first place," Stephanie interjected.

"Or _maybe_," Paul began with a devilish grin, "Mommy's the reason that Daddy's so sleepy because she's the one who…"

She wasted no time in silencing him with her hand. "Finish that sentence and Daddy will be getting _more _than enough sleep for the next two weeks." With that being said, her wide-eyed husband instantaneously kept quiet. Stephanie smirked. "That's what I thought." She really did have him wrapped around her finger. Of course, the chances of her actually ever carrying out that threat were slim to none, considering she needed him just as he did her. Still, it was always enjoyable to pretend she could resist.

Paul's gaze shifted from his wife to Aurora who was now lightly snoring against his upper body. He ran his big fingers through her silky, chestnut strands.

"Are we really that boring?"

Sniggering at her husband's question, Stephanie tilted her head to the side and kept her voice barely above a whisper. "Not at all, baby. In fact…" She allowed her sentence to trail off mischievously as her eyes wandered downward for a brief moment. "...if you come back to bed with me, I can assure you that you and I are _far_ from boring."

A brief silence filled the room.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Paul paused to gently move Aurora off of his chest and tucked her small body underneath the covers. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and uttered a hushed goodnight. He rose from the bed before approaching Stephanie with apparent lust in his stare. "Because if you are, it's totally working."

Absentmindedly, she trailed her fingertips down his chest until her hands rested upon his hips. She pulled him closer – so close that she could practically feel the hot blood pulsing through his veins. His skin was always so warm and comforting. As she felt his arms snake around her waist, she automatically moved hers to wrap around his neck. They seemed to fit perfectly together. Like what they had was just meant to be. Their connection truly was a rare and special one. Within minutes, the couple found themselves swaying back and forth, right there in the middle of their daughter's bedroom. Stephanie let out a content sigh, simply enjoying the tenderness of being in her husband's arms. Moments like these were the ones she would cherish forever.

"What are you thinking about?"

The sound of Paul's voice was calming. Stephanie closed her eyes as she rested her chin on his shoulder. She breathed in his cologne, the scent overwhelming her senses.

"Our wedding day," she mumbled through her weary smile.

It really had been the best day of her life, right up there with the birth of their three beautiful daughters. It was the first day that Stephanie could rid herself of fear and just be at ease. Prior to that, she'd been stressed about the pregnancy, parenthood, finances, and whatnot. After all, she was technically a teen mom trying to start fresh. God knows what she would have done without the love and support of Paul. He was so patient with her. He was willing to listen to her no matter the circumstances, to put up with her out of whack hormones, and to simply hold her when she just needed to break down and cry. And it was all because he loved her unconditionally.

The day they were married was the true turning point. Suddenly nothing else was of importance. Not even their past. She was blessed to be spoiled with such love and affection from the man who had practically saved her. And from that day forward, a newfound strength radiated inside of her.

"I'd do it again, you know."

Stephanie opened her eyes and pulled back so that Paul's face was in view. "Hmm?"

"Marry you," he hushed. "I'd do it over and over again. You make me so happy, Steph."

That giddy sensation resurfaced. To know that she was responsible for that beautiful smile was unreal.

"And there you go blushing again…"

Stephanie lightly smacked his chest. "Shut up!"

"No need to invoke violence, my darling. You'll wake the child." He looked to Aurora then back at his wife. His expression softened. "Oh, and just for the record, red really is your color." He brushed the backside of his knuckles against her rosy cheeks. Stephanie beamed as he replaced his digits with his lips. But as he skillfully maneuvered his mouth down the column of her throat, she pulled away.

"What?"

She smirked and interlocked her fingers through his. "Come on. We wouldn't want to wake 'the child.'"

Paul's eyes flickered with delight as she guided him towards the doorway. "Yeah. We both know it only would have been a matter of time before you started screaming my name and ripping these clothes from my body."

Once clicking Aurora's door shut behind them, Stephanie turned to her grinning husband with a sly smile of her own.

"Remember what I said earlier. Two weeks, baby. Two weeks."

* * *

Paul kicked his foot absently. He was hunched over his desk in part boredom, part exhaustion. Work was the last place he wanted to be right now. Underneath the dark slacks he wore, his leg muscles were still sore, but he wasn't complaining. Last night with Stephanie had been downright wonderful. It seemed as though it had been forever since they made love, and he well and truly needed her. With the combined stresses of their jobs and raising three kids, the time they had left for each other was limited. That was why Paul treasured every waking moment spent with her. Christ, she was so beautiful. Every curve of her body was flawless. Every inch of her skin was perfection. And those pale blue eyes of hers drove him absolutely wild in the faint glow of the moonlight. Nobody would ever understand how much she meant to him. A dopey smile formed on his lips as he lost himself in thoughts of Stephanie.

Several minutes later, there was a knock at his office door. Paul sat up straight instantly and hollered for the visitor to come in. He sent a professional nod to the man who stepped inside. It was one of the board members, Craig. He was rather tall and somewhat lanky in Paul's opinion. When he had shared that with Stephanie, she merely laughed and argued that everybody was lanky in comparison to him.

The dark-haired man sat down across from Paul after greeting him with a firm handshake. Craig was actually one of the few employees that didn't get on his nerves. All the rest were notorious for sabotaging each other to climb the ladder or for taking more breaks than permitted.

"What brings you here, Craig?"

"A proposition, my friend."

Curiously, Paul arched an eyebrow and leaned forward. "What kind of proposition are we talking about?"

Craig delayed his response as he dug through his black briefcase. Seconds later, he pulled out a file and slid it across the desk. Paul noticed the eagerness in the man's green eyes and suddenly felt a bit anxious himself. It was rare that anything innovative happened around here nowadays. With inquisitiveness he opened the file and examined the contents.

"You're suggesting we make our services available worldwide?" Paul questioned, not bothering to look up. He did see Craig's nod of confirmation though. His eagerness had turned to tension as he awaited approval from the boss. Not long after, Paul closed the file and tossed it on the desk. "That's brilliant," he announced.

Craig's shoulders relaxed in relief. He couldn't contain the smile that now graced his face as he reached out to shake Paul's hand once again.

"Thank you so much, sir. You won't regret this, I can assure you."

"Good to know, Craig," Paul replied. Inwardly, he wondered if everyone at the office was this nervous around him. He had never paid much attention before. But now seeing Craig sweating bullets, his curiosity was sparked. It eventually faded as he watched his employee exit the office. Yawning, Paul sat back down in the leather chair.

Why hadn't he considered this notion before? Their company was already thriving in the United States. It only made sense to expand their business beyond those boundaries. There were likely countless numbers of people who were struggling to find a decent gym in their region. Now they would have to look no further, and Paul's company would benefit from the profits. His first instinct was to call Stephanie and tell her all about it, but another knock at the door halted his efforts. He quietly groaned and let the phone fall to the desk.

"Come in."

And when the door opened, his lips upturned and all thoughts of worldwide expansion abandoned him.

"I was just thinking about you, actually," he said, rising from his chair. Stephanie clicked the door behind her and met her husband halfway to the center of the office. He extended his arms for an embrace which she happily obliged to. Paul even dropped an innocent kiss on her cheek before they pulled apart. His hazel eyes met with her blue ones in a tender stare. The smirk on her face made his stomach pool with desire.

"Surprised to see me?"

"Definitely," he murmured. "Then again, it wouldn't be the first time you've barged in unannounced. What's up?"

Stephanie reached across the distance between them to straighten Paul's crooked tie, then shrugged one shoulder. "I do work here, you know." She paused and bit down on her bottom lip. "Then again whenever I'm with you, not much work ever gets done, now does it?"

"Now, now, love. We vowed to never speak of these non-work related activities."

"That's funny. I don't remember said conversation," she retorted. Paul breathed in her vanilla perfume and felt his knees weaken in her presence. Stephanie really was a sight to behold, even at times like now, where she only wore denim jeans and a blouse. He ran his thumb down her jaw line and leaned in to fuse his mouth with hers. He felt Stephanie giggle against his lips. He pulled away, curious to hear what she found funny. Catching on, she spoke up. "Was last night really not enough for you?"

"Babe, you know I can never get enough of you."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Don't sweet talk me, Levesque. We are _not_ having sex in your office."

"Why the hell not!" he demanded to know in charade frustration.

Stephanie couldn't refrain from laughing as Paul pulled her into his arms. He began to place kisses on every exposed part of her body while she struggled for freedom. "Because last time we made too much noise, took too long, and we nearly got caught at least six times. Besides, I came here to talk to you about something."

Paul wrinkled his brow and released his grip on her. "What is it?"

Stephanie lifted his wrist to glance at his watch and then directed her eyes towards his. "What do you say we talk in a more suitable setting? Like our café downtown?"

His heart flipped at the mention of their place. It really was though. Paul could recall some wonderful memories with his wife at the little coffee shop on the south side of town. It was the first place where they had gone out on an official date upon their arrival in the States. It was the place where he had proposed to her. He smiled at the reminiscence. Six-month old Aurora Rose had been on hand for the occasion. She looked on in wonderment as her daddy got down on his knees and then her mommy started crying hysterically, throwing her arms around his neck. A chorus of cheers and whistles filled the small café. And Stephanie couldn't stop staring at the ring on her finger for the remainder of their time spent there. It had been one of the fondest moments of their lives.

"Honey?"

Snapping out of his flashback, Paul looked down at Stephanie. Her blue orbs were still wide as she waited for a reply. In silence, he linked one hand through hers and gestured to the door with the other. "After you, my dear."


	2. Chapter 2

For those of you who love fluff/smut, all I can say is enjoy it while it lasts. :)

* * *

The pair graciously thanked the waiter who set their drinks down. Within several moments he walked away, leaving them alone in their uneasy silence once again. Stephanie watched Paul take a rather large gulp of coffee from the mug. He always felt the urge to sip something when trying to dodge a discussion. It was one of the many habits that she was so keen at picking up on. Even the slightest movement or sound told her what his mouth refused to. Inwardly she wondered if all wives knew as much about their husbands as she did. Love around here was so different than what she had envisioned as a child.

She instantly stopped herself with that thought at once and turned her attention back to Paul. He evidently had nothing to say right now, so she might as well make the first move.

"Well?"

Even with that one word, his hazel eyes looked everywhere but at her. Stephanie picked up on this too and reached across the table to gently caress his thick forearm, which was exposed by his rolled up sleeve. The wedding ring on her left hand gleamed against his perfectly tanned skin. A soft sigh fell from his lips. Her touch made him damn weak and his wife knew that.

"I don't know, Steph," Paul murmured.

She rolled her eyes with dramatic emphasis. "Paul, I'll be fine. The trip would only be a week or two at most. It would be strictly business and nothing more. Plus, I would be with you." Stephanie paused just in time to see the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile. It was a sign of hope. On the drive over here, she had mentally rehearsed what she would say. Getting her husband to agree to let her accompany him on their international business trip would be no easy task. She was well aware of that. He was far too protective and saw it best that she stay at home. Fortunately she had known about Craig's worldwide expansion idea at least hours before it became knowledge to Paul. For once, she was actually grateful for the nosy office women. Their morning gossip gave Stephanie time to formulate her plea. She noticed the reluctance in her husband's expression and continued on. "We would hire a babysitter for the girls."

"That was my next question," he admitted, scratching at his beard. "But do you think it would be alright to just leave them with some stranger for a week or even longer? We've never been away from them for that long – not both of us at once."

It was Stephanie's turn to sigh. One of the disadvantages about not having family around was that they were constantly hiring babysitters, and at the very last second too. Paul had once suggested hiring a nanny, but she had shot down that notion almost instantly. She was determined to raise her own children even if that meant cutting back hours at the office to do so. It was around a year ago that she started working from the convenience of their home. Of course that didn't sit well with most of her colleagues, but there was no way in hell she would get fired. After all, she did have a bit of a connection with the owner. Now babysitters were really only necessary when the couple reserved a night for themselves out on the town.

"It doesn't have to be some stranger," Stephanie replied optimistically.

Paul crinkled his brow. "What are you getting at?"

"Well…" she began wearily. "There's always Derek across the street. You know that the girls just adore him…"

"Absolutely not! No. We are not letting that juvenile delinquent supervise our children. Sorry, Steph, but it's not happening." Another eye roll was her response.

Derek Robinson was their nineteen-year-old neighbor whom her husband was clearly not a fan of. He never had been, yet Stephanie still hadn't grasped why. The boy was a bright student and was currently attending a university on a full hockey scholarship. He was home now for quite a bit, so they would be foolish not to enlist his services. When the girls were younger, he had watched them overnight numerous times and they had all taken a liking to him right away. Maybe Paul just couldn't get over Derek's garage band days where he blasted his music until the wee hours of the morning.

"How is he a delinquent?"

Her husband widened his eyes as if the truth should have been plain and obvious to her. Clicking his tongue, he spoke up. "He's a teenage boy, Steph! You know how they are…_I _know how they are. I _was _one for crying out loud! I know how they think. He's not babysitting our daughters, end of story."

This time, Stephanie surrendered to a fit of laughter. Paul was being ridiculous! In that unpredictable mind of his, he was under the impression that Derek – the nineteen-year-old hockey scholar – was after their infant daughters. "You're crazy," she giggled. An involuntary smile formed on his lips. Stephanie's laughter always filled his heart with joy and now was no exception. "Paul, I honestly don't think he wants to hook up with our six, four, and two-year-old girls."

"But…"

She pressed her index finger to his lips to silence his protest. "Shhh… That's just the overprotective daddy in you getting all worked up over nothing. They'll be fine, okay?"

He removed her finger from his mouth and gently kissed her knuckles. "I guess you're right." Stephanie cocked an eyebrow at him. "Okay, okay. I know you're right."

"Like always," she added sweetly.

"Hey now. Don't get ahead of yourself, McMahon!"

Stephanie yanked her hand away from him immediately, forgetting all the lightheartedness in their conversation. It felt as if someone had just pierced her chest with a dagger – that someone being her husband. An ancient wound had been reopened. Meanwhile, a frazzled Paul looked to her for some sort of explanation to her abrupt behavior. Her blue eyes flickered with sadness as she snapped at him.

"What did you call me?"

Paul paused, replaying his last words spoken in his head. A blank expression adorned his face until a few seconds passed. "Shit," he muttered below his breath. His stare became tender as he grabbed a hold of Stephanie's hands. His tone was soft and apologetic. "I'm really sorry. It was just…"

"An old habit?"

He nodded. "Exactly. It won't happen ever again."

Stephanie shook her head. "Don't worry. It's fine. I…overreacted. It's just been a while, you know?" Paul offered her a small smile to illustrate his comprehension. Nevertheless how he felt on the inside didn't change. God, he was such an idiot at times. Right when all was going well, he just _had _to slip and say something he would soon regret. And her maiden name of all things! He hadn't called her that since...back then. He fought back his own rage and focused on tracing light circles in Stephanie's palms. Her pale orbs were still residually sad. Even though the past was a touchier subject with her, it still pained Paul to a great extent. Seeing her in pain was enough to make his own heart ache. But remembering the events that took place back in that dreaded country infuriated him. If her father had been remotely successful at anything he attempted, there was a fair chance their oldest daughter wouldn't be here right now. Hell, there was an even better chance that Paul would be six feet underground or at the bottom of some ocean. "So what's this I hear of about you being a horny teenage boy?"

Despite everything, Paul chuckled and was eternally grateful that his wife was changing the subject.

"Am I allowed to plead the fifth?"

Lightly slapping his wrist, Stephanie questioned, "So the truth comes out _after_ you force me into this marriage, eh?"

"Hey. You know I only have eyes for you, Steph," he said with sincerity. There was a short silence before Paul sent a smirk her way. "So I guess I'll be needing to purchase two plane tickets rather than one, right?"

Her eyes lit up right away and she practically flung herself over the table to throw her arms around his neck. Her husband returned the embrace, and continued to do so even when he began to feel deprived of oxygen. She likely wouldn't have released him anytime soon if it weren't for the nearby voice that made them spring apart.

"My goodness! You didn't propose to her again, did you?"

Genuine smiles formed on both of their faces as they glanced up at the older waitress passing by. She had been there on that very day and often gushed about what a cute couple the two of them made. Each year around their anniversary, anything they ordered was on the house, courtesy of her. True love was hard to find nowadays.

"No, ma'am," Paul replied. Stephanie saw the devilish glint in his eyes, but she didn't have time to kick him underneath the table before he opened his mouth again. "My wife just really likes to touch me, that's all."

"Paul!"

"What?" he asked, biting back a grin. The old woman just laughed to herself and continued on to clear the next table over. Paul was distracted watching her until he felt a sharp force collide with his shin. "Owww!" Wincing in pain, he looked to the obvious culprit. "What was that for?"

"Nothing," she said with a mere shrug. "I just like touching you."

_Well played_, Paul thought to himself. Of course, she had learned from the best, so the clever banter was to be expected. Aside from his tendency to worry about her though, he was earnestly pleased that she would be joining him on this global trip, to wherever that may be. The location was still being determined. But to Paul, that was a trivial detail. As long as Stephanie was with him it didn't matter where he went.

* * *

Murphy Levesque sat in curiosity as her father rummaged through the spacious walk-in closet of the master bedroom. While he was searching for pieces of luggage on the raised shelf, she observed the contents of the boxes on the floor. Her soft blonde strands fell like a curtain over her face as she leaned downward. With her tiny hand she picked up an older looking photo. She wiped the dust away with her fingertips and recognized the two people in it as her parents. They looked the same, but different. Younger. Her mommy was wearing a long blue gown that swept the floor and her daddy was dressed in some uniform with his hair tied back in a tight ponytail. They were gazing into each other's eyes lovingly as they did now relentlessly.

The four-year-old placed the picture back into the box carefully and crawled over to the other side of the closet, where something white caught her eye. She lifted the sheer piece of material out of its box.

"What's this, Daddy?"

Paul broke away from what he was doing, sending his daughter a warm smile. "That's Mommy's wedding veil." He crossed the short distance to where she was standing and kneeled down before her. "Want me to put it on you?"

Murphy nodded vigorously. "It's pretty," she commented as her father placed the top of the veil on her head. He moved the piece of cloth saw that it shielded her face and ruffled her blonde locks. It was way too big for her and was hardly staying on, but the child was content nonetheless.

"There you go, beautiful," Paul said.

He lifted Murphy so that she could view her reflection in the mirror of the closet. The dimples forming on her cheeks were visible even through the veil as she saw herself. Holding her in his arms now, it suddenly dawned on Paul that moments like this wouldn't be possible during their trip. So he was going to take advantage of every single one up until then.

"I'm just like Mommy now!" she cheered.

"You sure are," he hushed with his lips pressed into her hair. "You make for a very beautiful bride, Miss Murphy."

The little girl's face scrunched significantly. "Ew! Boys are yucky, Daddy. I'm never getting married." Paul chuckled. The odds of that happening were slim, but for now he was just content with keeping his baby all to himself. Boy mishap could be reserved for the teenage years.

"That's my girl!" he exclaimed. Murphy squirmed in his arms to face her father and patted his cheeks with her palms. Delicately, Paul lifted the veil over her tiny head and couldn't help but think of when he had shared this same moment with Stephanie. "Do you think you could spare a kiss for your dear old dad, munchkin?"

"Of course!"

Sweetly, Murphy planted a big kiss on Paul's cheek, only further reminding him how blessed in life he was. Imagining a world without his girls was even painful to fathom. How he had lived in loneliness for such a long time was beyond him. "I love you," he said.

"Love you too, Daddy!"

He set his daughter back down on the floor and watched her scurry toward the remaining boxes. They were too young to know now, but some day they would. Some day they would know how much they meant to him – after everything he had been through to get where he was now.

* * *

Upon hearing the muffled roar of the garage door, Paul's lips upturned into a grin. His wife had been out running a few evening errands while he put the kids to bed. Thankfully they all went to sleep without any difficulty. Even Aurora who was typically bursting with energy was out as soon as her head lay on the pillow. Maybe his wife was right about not getting them all hyper before bedtime. That was about a half hour ago. Since then, Paul was unsure of how to occupy himself, but now that Stephanie was home the fun could really begin.

After a few moments and still no appearance by her, Paul decided to take matters into his own hands. If she wasn't coming inside, he would go out and get her himself. He hastened his pace while heading to the entryway to the garage. For some reason, his need for her lately was so intense and surreal.

Paul entered the garage silently to see Stephanie grabbing some grocery bags out of the backseat of their red hummer. Instead of moving in for the kill right away he admired her from afar. The black yoga pants she wore hugged her ass perfectly and from where he was standing, the view was wonderful. Her hair hung in loose waves around her shoulders and her skin was beaming under the light radiating through the open garage door.

With quiet footsteps, Paul snuck behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He felt her tense up at the contact and then settle into his embrace. Stephanie breathed in his intoxicating scent and found herself unable to hold onto the grocery bags any longer. She let them drop down somewhere on the backseat. Honestly, it was the last thing on her mind.

"Fancy meeting you out here," she whispered.

Paul responded only with lavish kisses that he trailed down her neck, drawing a soft moan from her mouth. She turned in his grasp and her chest was now pressed against his. Forcefully, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down so their lips joined in a long, passionate kiss.

Stephanie moaned more audibly this time as she felt Paul back her into the open car door. When he eventually broke away, her breathing was left in a labored state. Her husband's mouth never left her skin though. After ridding her of her t-shirt, he kissed and nipped at the soft surface of her upper body. Once working his way over her shoulders and collarbone, his tongue lightly skimmed over the mounds of her breasts that poked out over her black bra. Reaching behind her, he undid the clasp in one swift movement. Stephanie watched the scrap of lace fall to the concrete as Paul covered her sensitive nipple with his lips. She arched her back against the door, offering her body even more to him.

Gasping sharply, Stephanie sensed herself being lifted from the ground. She instinctively allowed her legs to wrap around Paul's waist as he carried her into the large vehicle. He lowered her onto the backseat and positioned himself in front of her. Not wasting any time, she got to work on the zipper of his denim jeans. She teasingly kissed him above his waistband. Meanwhile Paul removed his own shirt and tossed it to the passenger seat. Her lips were warm against his cool skin. Feeling the sudden urge to taste her, he pulled her face up to his and crashed his mouth down against hers.

Paul stepped out of his jeans and boxers before sliding Stephanie's pants down her long, toned legs. He palmed her through her damp, silky underwear causing her to bite down gently on his bottom lip. She dug her fingertips into his upper back, likely leaving indentations.

Not able to bear another one of his taunting touches, Stephanie moved her husband's hands to the sides of her thong and forced him to slide it down her legs. She kicked it aside and pushed Paul so that he was lying on his back in between the two front seats. Stephanie positioned herself over him, his hardness rubbing against her entryway. Her stomach coiled with desire and the dark look of lust in her husband's eyes made her want him even more. She needed to feel him inside of her now.

With urgency, she rocked her hips against his and heard Paul groan as he slipped inside of her. With his hands, he grabbed her bare ass and thrust himself into her harder this time. Their steady pace soon turned to a rapid one. Even in the darkness Stephanie's mouth once again found her husband's and captured it in a kiss. Their tongues fought for dominance as a light sweat broke out on her forehead.

Paul felt Stephanie's walls enclose around him and gripped the steering wheel for support. He removed his other hand from her behind, bringing it upward to squeeze her breast. She moaned into his mouth and let her fingers tangle in his moist strands. Once again, Paul slammed inside of her vigorously. Her climax was not far off and her shaking limbs were proof of that.

"Oh…God…Paul!" she screamed in between kisses.

"Stephanie."

She heard her name fall from his lips and was finally able to let go. After one last thrust, Paul fell back against the built-in radio, his chest still heaving profoundly. He carelessly flung an arm to one side, but immediately yanked it back upon hearing the noisy car horn go off.

"Paul!"

The horrified look in his wife's eyes merely made him chuckle. He sat upright to cradle her in his arms. "Yeah?"

"Are you trying to wake up all the neighbors? Not to mention our children!" she scolded.

Paul pressed his thumb into her dimpled chin and pecked her lips softly. "Babe, if our kids could sleep through _that_, along with other things, then they'll sleep through anything. As for the neighbors…well, don't they all hate us anyways?"

Stephanie giggled and tucked a stray blonde lock behind his ear. His hazel eyes appeared to be gold at the moment. Paul really was a gorgeous man, though it didn't need to be said to feed his ego. These were the times where she questioned whether one's life could get anymore perfect. "I love you," she murmured softly.

"I love you, Steph."


	3. Chapter 3

"You be gone long, Daddy?"

With a pang of grief in his chest, Paul pressed a lingering kiss to the temple of the toddler squirming in his lap. The sofa cushion shifted underneath them. He ruffled the curly blonde locks atop her head as she looked up to him with blue eyes that undeniably resembled those of her mother. That fact alone made it even more difficult for Paul to provide two-year-old Vaughn with an answer to her inquiry. Saying it out loud only added realism to the already existing truth.

"Not too long, baby girl. Only ten days," he said softly. In reality, being away from his kids for that long seemed like a lifetime, but he wasn't prepared to explain that to his young daughter. Not when she was making him guilty with her stare of innocence. God, if there was anything he hated most in this world it was being the bearer of disappointing news.

Oblivious to his frustration, the little girl cocked her head to one side. "How many minutes is that?"

A hearty laugh was Paul's immediate response. Leave it to Vaughn to miss the point of the discussion and ask some completely unrelated question. Yet somehow, her tangents always lightened the mood. Her inquisitiveness had emerged at such an early age and now she was constantly left awestruck by the simplest things. Everything intrigued her. She wanted to know why this did that and that did this. Hence the reason why not a dull moment occurred in her presence. It would be an understatement to say she kept her parents busy.

"I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that one off the top of my head. But I do know that I'll be thinking about you and your sisters every second I'm away." Paul grasped her tiny hand in his larger one. "You won't forget about Daddy, will you?"

"Probably not."

His eyes widened in mock hurt. "Probably?" Frantically, he began to tickle her sides while she squealed for him to stop. Her shrill giggles filled the otherwise quiet living room. "_Probably_?" he repeated.

"Daddy, stop!" Vaughn struggled to catch her breath as she fell victim to fits of uncontrollable laughter. "Please…..Daddy…..not probably!"

Several moments later, a stern voice interrupted them.

"Paul, would you stop tormenting our child?"

Two pairs of eyes fell on Stephanie who had entered the living room, setting down her leather carry-on luggage on the floor. She clicked her tongue in disapproval. It was now apparent what her husband had been up to all morning while she was singlehandedly packing their stuff. They had a flight to catch in about two hours and she wasn't prepared to show up bloody late due to her husband's antics. This was a business trip after all. It was bad enough that Stephanie hardly attended the meetings since she started working from home. And when she did show up, it was typically her and Paul stumbling in at last minute, her lipstick residually staining the skin of his throat. She smirked at the thought. In spite of the initial humiliation, it did amuse her quite a bit. All of those jealous women at the office who practically drooled over her husband could wait around all they wanted. But at the end of the day their hopes and dreams were insignificant; he was all hers…

Out of nowhere, her youngest child's cries snapped her out of her trance. The poor girl was still struggling to get away from her menacing father. Stephanie shot him a deathly stare, and almost instantaneously, Paul released his hold on Vaughn. She withdrew herself from his lap at once and scurried to her mother for safety. Stephanie eyed her husband in a scolding manner as she felt the tiny arms tightly wrap around her legs.

"What?" he questioned defensively.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know _what_." Diverting her attention from Paul, she looked down at her daughter, who was poking her tongue out in his direction. Stephanie stifled back a laugh. Such arrogance. Traits of Paul's were shining through in the personalities of their kids more and more with each day that passed – some of which he would likely regret displaying later on. Then again, he could argue that their daughters had inherited a good number of traits from her, and with justification, too. Patting Vaughn's soft strands, she spoke up again ensuring that her voice would carry in her husband's direction. "Honey, next time Daddy tries to pull something like that, you come to me right away. And I'll take care of him, don't you worry."

"Okay, Mommy," she replied sweetly.

"Good girl. Now why don't you go find your sisters and tell them to come downstairs?" Stephanie paused and held out her wrist to check the time. "Derek should be getting here any minute now." Ignoring the dramatic groan that was perceptible from where Paul was sitting, she patted her daughter's shoulder. Vaughn nodded her head vigorously and darted toward the staircase. Her loud footsteps echoed throughout the house as she ran. Within another moment or two, the doorbell rang. Knowing well who was waiting on the other side, Stephanie turned to her husband and issued a simple warning. "Behave."

Paul raised his arms in protest. Still, his eyes were glued to his wife's swinging hips as she turned and exited the room. He constantly said it, thought it…but only because it rang true. Stephanie _would_ be the death of him. It was plain and simple as that. Both physically and personality wise, no other woman could compare. And likewise, no man deserved her. Not even Paul. But he loved her more than one could ever love another. That was all that mattered in the end.

"Paul, you remember Derek."

He snapped his head up to see his wife standing beside the tall, moderately built boy who would be responsible for his daughters over the next ten days. With blue eyes and a clean shaven face, Derek was a decent looking guy. Apart from his dark brown locks that were slightly shaggy, Paul approved. It even looked as if the kid had been hitting the gym hard recently. Though Paul could take credit for most of that. It was him who had shown Derek proper technique after annihilating his ass in a basement bench press contest. Rising from the couch, he offered a firm handshake and tried to pay no heed to Stephanie's threatening glare.

"Nice to see you again, Mr. Levesque," Derek greeted.

"You too. It's been quite a while, but what can I say? You've certainly bulked up."

The boy chuckled. "Well, the ice rink is no place for beanpoles. You do what you gotta do to not get your ass kicked." That comment alone sparked a rather in-depth conversation between the pair about various workouts and equipment, among other things. Stephanie was just relieved altogether. Surprised also, with regards to her husband's genuine interest.

Unnoticed, she slipped away from the dialogue to retrieve Aurora, Murphy, and Vaughn, since clearly the youngest wasn't successful at bringing them down here. Mentally, Stephanie was making preparations for the imminent goodbye. While walking down the stairs she absorbed the sound of their sweet laughter, trying her hardest to store it as a memory for when she missed them. Though her eyes were already damp, she vowed to herself she wouldn't cry. No one was forcing her to do this, but rather it was a decision she made on her own. Her reasons for it were valid though.

Everyone at the office practically despised her. Well, the women did anyways. Whether it was out of spite or envy, she didn't know. Probably both. Either way, they all looked down at her and shook their heads disgracefully, like she had no right to work there. In their eyes she was merely mooching off of Paul and his success. That couldn't be further from the truth in actuality. She worked hard, even if it wasn't for them to see. First of all, she had fallen in love with him long before any of this. She fell in love with him in another life she was trying to let go of. Second of all, it just so happened that she had to work from home solely due to being a mother of three. But how was it Stephanie's fault that none of these corporate executives understood the challenges of parenthood? Honestly, she thought she was doing a pretty good job for someone who had to start all over with her life. But word around the company spread and eventually made it back to her. It stung hearing all of their thoughts. Normally outside opinions didn't bring her down, but this was like nothing she ever had to deal with. When she had voiced all of this to Paul, he simply pecked her lips and told her to shrug off their suspicions. That satisfied her for the time being, but inside she always felt the growing need to prove herself in some way. When this worldwide expansion opportunity arose, she jumped on ship without delay for that very reason.

"Bye Daddy!"

The noisy kisses Paul was planting all over Aurora drew Stephanie out of her thoughts. She smiled fondly watching him interact with their girls. _No tears, Steph._ They all took turns embracing him before making their way over to her. After hugging and kissing her eldest two, little Vaughn approached her with a cheeky little grin. Stephanie liked to believe she looked just like Paul in that instant. He often flashed her that same smile when he had something to tell her.

"Bye Mama. I love you _very_ much." Melted by the words, she scooped Vaughn in her arms and held her tightly, purely taking in the smell of her fruity shampoo and the way her blue eyes sparkled at times of happiness.

"I love you, sweetheart. So, so much. Be a good girl for Derek, okay?"

"Kay," she murmured.

After one last kiss, Stephanie set Vaughn back down on the carpet. She and Paul uttered their final goodbyes before finally heading to their hummer. While loading the suitcases into the trunk, he couldn't help but smirk thinking back to what happened in and on this car only a few nights ago. If there was one beneficial thing about this trip, it was the increased amount of alone time he would have with his wife. With no kids or petulant neighbors around, literally nothing could hold him back from mauling the hell out of the woman he loved. A devilish grin still adorned his face as he climbed into the driver's seat. Stephanie eyed him curiously.

"Something you would like to share with me, Paul?"

He grabbed her free hand and lifted it to his lips. "All in good time, my dear."

* * *

Yawning, Stephanie cuddled even more into Paul's chest. Airplane seats were damn uncomfortable, but not when you had a big, handsome man to serve as a personal pillow like she did. Paul didn't seem to mind though. With the hand that wasn't holding hers, he absently toyed with her silky, chestnut strands. He would drop the occasional kiss in her hair and was unmindful of the dirty looks being sent their way. Most of them were likely coming from his own employees. Technically this was a business trip, but what the hell did people expect? This was his wife for Christ's sakes! They were morons if they thought he was going to leave the arm rest down in between them, or some juvenile shit like that.

"Paul?"

Upon hearing her muffled voice, he grinned to himself. She was blatantly delirious, so this ought to be good. "Yes?"

"Are we there yet?" she half whined.

"In four more hours, we will be."

Stephanie groaned audibly, squirming in her current somewhat laying down position. "Ugh! That's so long. Hold me."

"I am holding you, silly," Paul whispered with a muted laugh. Patience was definitely not her best quality nor had it ever been. He, on the contrary, tended to have a knack for the trait. There was a period of time where Stephanie would unexpectedly break down for some reason unknown to him. Still, he would comfort her and give her space when she requested it. He could recall long nights where she refused to speak and only buried her head in a tangled mass of bed sheets. Even he and all the love he could give were not enough to terminate the warm tears that flowed down her cheeks. And that bothered him immensely at times. All he longed to do was hold his baby, but she would prefer to lay alone and sob away the night. Eventually, he convinced himself that all of this abnormal behavior was due to pregnancy hormones because once Aurora was born, most of it went away. Then they were married and it never came back. But even today there was still a part of Paul that truly believed there was something slowly but surely eating away at Stephanie. Just one look of hers seemed off every now and then. Like when he had addressed her by her maiden name in the café a few days ago.

God, he was never going to live that down. He still couldn't believe how stupid he had been with that slip of the tongue. It just felt so natural calling her that. Not because he associated her with cruelty and despotism, but because that was who she was to him for the longest time. She was Stephanie McMahon. Even in his thoughts, the name flowed brilliantly, even if he was biased towards Stephanie Levesque.

Seeing that she had now dozed off into a light slumber, Paul continued to rub her back restfully and recall memories of the past. Their first kiss. Even after the countless ones they had shared over the years, the first was still a fresh image in his mind. They had been at the lake after blowing off some formal event. Despite not knowing her all that well, he knew that he was in love with her. Right from the start, he had. Something about her warmed his heart in a way that it never had been before. So he had led her to his special place with sole intentions of getting to know her better. Much to his delight, he had taught her how to swim, professed his love for her, and stolen a kiss all in the duration of their excursion. A successful day, indeed, it was.

He only wished his wife would remember these moments. Rather than just avoiding the bad memories, she avoided that entire section of her life altogether. Sometimes he wondered if she did think about how they first met, their first kiss, when he first made love to her, and cherished times like that. Her mind had to drift off to those thoughts at some point or another. Wasn't that what women were supposed to do in their spare time anyways? Gush over stuff like that? Then again, he had to remind himself that Stephanie was no ordinary woman. She was far from it, to say the least. But he truthfully wouldn't take her any other way.

"Sleep tight, beautiful," he said with a content sigh, snuggling her closer to him for warmth. Hardly another minute passed before Paul found himself joining her in a blissful sleep.

* * *

"What do you think the kids are doing right now?" Stephanie prompted, absently twisting Paul's wedding ring around his finger. He smiled thoughtfully.

"Running amuck. Raising havoc with their dolls and whatnot."

"So basically, the usual?"

"Basically," he replied. Even though her tone was joking and lighthearted, there was something else present there, too. Taking note of the tenuous worry in her blue orbs, he squeezed her shoulder and spoke up again. "They'll be fine, Steph. They're more independent than we like to think."

"Seriously," she muttered. "Murphy doesn't even hold my hand anymore when I walk her up to school."

Playfully, Paul nudged her and rolled his eyes. "That's nothing compared to what I'll have to endure when they get boyfriends. Aurora's already talking about marriage at six! _Six_! I'll be going grey before I hit thirty-five."

Stephanie touched his golden strands, trying desperately to picture him as a withering, old man. "Still sexy," she confirmed with a sly smile.

"Huh?"

"You know, when you start going grey. I'm pretty sure you'll still be sexy and youthful. I mean, how could you not?" She paused to watch his expanding smile, already amused by the next witty remark waiting to fall from her lips. "You _are _married to me." He narrowed his eyes at her, not sure whether to interpret the statement as being derogatory.

"Stephanie," Paul began. "You and your daily expenses will without a doubt be the reason for my early aging." Even she had to giggle at that one. Mostly because she couldn't deny nor hide the fact that she had the slightest obsession with clothes…and shoes…and jewelry…and well, pretty much anything. And as long as the "anything" category included lingerie, Paul didn't give a damn whether she drove them into debt or not. He was a sucker for something lacy and revealing. Even if it ended up torn and destroyed, he never dubbed it as a waste of money. The perks that came with it were way too enjoyable to classify it as that.

"You love me," she countered meekly.

Kissing her temple, he nodded his head. "More than life itself."

"Good," Stephanie mumbled. She moved her hand downward to rest gently on his stomach. Through his pale blue dress shirt, his skin felt hot against her open palm. "Because you're stuck with me."

It seemed as if Paul's lips were parting to form a response, but he was cut off suddenly by the pilot, whose voice came on over the loud speaker.

"_It appears that weather issues in the area will prevent us from landing in London. For the safety of the passengers, we have been asked to redirect our itinerary to another destination. Further information will be given once available. We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause. Thank you."_

A chorus of groans and curse words sounded throughout the aircraft cabin almost immediately upon hearing the pilot's announcement. Since everyone on board was here on Paul's business trip, this was an inconvenience – and not one that could be overlooked. London had been their first major stop, followed by a few other remote locations in the United Kingdom. And since everything had been booked and organized at last minute, it would be highly unprofessional to not show up. Paul sighed. He could only hope there was phone service wherever the hell they were going, and that the British were understanding folk.

To his left, Stephanie slid the window open and crinkled her brow, perplexed. "The weather doesn't _look_ bad," she commented. Actually, the sky looked much clearer than it did back in Connecticut. It was the kind of intense blue that matched the shade of her eyes. She turned to her husband. "Did you see anything about storms in the weather forecast?"

Paul shook his head. "I guess the weather's just unpredictable here."

"But don't you think it's just a bit odd?"

"Not really, no," he replied. Sensing her anxiousness, he gave her fingers a tender squeeze. "Hey. It's not unheard of for airlines to screw over passengers. It happens more than it should. But once we've landed, I'll sort everything out, okay?" Stephanie reluctantly nodded. "Until then, you just close your eyes and try to relax."

Taking her husband's advice, Stephanie dwelled on how truly blessed she was. Paul just always knew what to say to her. He knew how to make her bad thoughts subside, and with his placid touches and caresses, he settled her physical nerves. That was what he was doing now. Rubbing her denim clad thigh with his fingertips, using his other hand to trail up and down her spine. She was fine. She had no reason to be tense. Paul told her this sort of thing took place all the time. What did the pilot call it? Redirecting the itinerary? But her husband wouldn't lie to her. If he claimed that her worry was needless, then it probably was…

Just then, the pilot's voice resurfaced on the loud speaker. Stephanie's ears were alert as she and all the other passengers awaited further details on the situation.

"_Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I have just now been informed that we will divert to a small country – one that will not be affected by the unfortunate weather. I believe the country is called…McMahon. We will be landing in approximately twenty-five minutes. Thank you."_

And all Paul could do was hold her tightly in his arms while she whimpered into his chest.

* * *

Hey all! Special thanks to everyone who has reviewed the first two chapters. Even if you don't have an account, I'd still love to hear your thoughts. And a very SPECIAL thank you to Brittani for reminding me about the Kurt/Jessica baby. For those who don't remember (I didn't), she was pregnant at the end of MPA. Still debating over whether it will be a boy or girl, but baby name suggestions will be highly appreciated via review. Don't be afraid to get...creative. xD


	4. Chapter 4

Happy New Year! It is officially 2013 as I post this. It's only one short scene, but I wanted there to be more emphasis on it. Therefore, it stands alone. These lyrics below are from "Fall to Pieces" by Avril Lavigne. The whole song really captures the feel of this fic, this chapter especially. So I thought I would insert a few lines at the beginning. Dedicated to Brittani since she's been utilizing her #pestgoddess skills on Twitter. You can all thank her for this. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

_You're the only one,_

_I'd be with till the end_

_When I come undone_

_You bring me back again_

_Back under the stars_

_Back into your arms_

Paul ran his big hand through his hair apprehensively, his tapping foot picking up its pace against the carpeted floor. The relatively flimsy mattress dipped as he repositioned himself. He just needed to get a grip. Take some deep breaths. Maybe sip a bit of wine, if only he had some. After all, he had gotten everyone transported from the airport to the hotel in one piece, right? And he was able to arrange it so that they could all settle into their respective rooms before midnight. There. Those were two good things that happened on his watch. He should have been beaming with pride at his efforts to smooth over a company crisis.

But as he listened harder, a grave sigh fell from his lips. Aside from the dripping tub faucet, he heard muffled sobs, which without a doubt were coming from his wife. That was a problem he couldn't fix. No number of embraces or kisses could pacify Stephanie when she was distressed like this. And Paul hated that. He hated himself for it, honestly. There had to be something he could do. He just felt so damn useless sitting here on the bed while tears were rolling down her cheeks. Hopelessly, his eyes travelled to the digital clock on the night stand. She had been in the tub for nearly an hour now, but not by choice.

By the time they had arrived to the hotel, she was already a total wreck. She had been since the moment the pilot made that announcement. At that moment, she had clung to him for comfort. Even on the shuttle on the way over here she needed to be close to him. Others' opinions and smirks meant nothing for the time being. Stephanie didn't care if she was practically breaking skin by how tight she held onto him. Seeing her like this made Paul want to cry himself. She was so scared and lost, like that little puppy he once knew many years ago. All her emotional progress went away just like that. They were at square one again.

Almost the instant that the door to their suite clicked shut behind them, Stephanie broke down. Paul swore his shirt was still damp from the flowing tears that escaped her eyes. He plucked at the material and frowned. The worst part was not knowing how to handle the situation. With everything else running astoundingly smooth, trying to console Stephanie made him feel weak. Powerless. There was just no way of making all of her pain go away. She was a woman living with scars. Now those scars were like open wounds once again. She was in that dark place, trapped with no exit. His only sensible solution was to coax her into taking a nice, warm bath. The hot water would with any luck ease her nerves.

Luck was what he needed more than anything right now, as it hadn't seemed to be on their side prior to all of this madness. How in the hell did they end up on this dastardly island anyways? It was remote and unknown to the rest of the world. Paul could have sworn it wasn't even on a damn map. From what he could remember, the old goat hated immigrants. They would live here for a few years and then return to their homeland, raising reports of immorality and unjust punishment. So it made no fucking sense why he would allow a strange aircraft to touch ground on his territory. Stupid bastard.

The sound of sloshing water broke him from his thoughts. God, he sure prayed that Stephanie would unwind a bit. He was doing enough worrying for the two of them combined. This was honestly the last thing she needed. Especially after the maiden name slip not too long ago. He chuckled to himself bitterly. It truly was a sign of things to come. A foreseeable prophecy.

Rising from the bed, Paul removed his shirt and discarded it to the floor somewhere. Even though Stephanie longed for some space, he knew it was his duty as a husband to check up on her. And if she didn't see things that way, he could just make something up and claim he wanted to ensure she didn't drown.

Biting down on his bottom lip, he knocked on the already ajar door. It was more so to alert her that he was coming in than to ask for entry. As he walked inside, her head immediately turned to face him. Paul felt his heart sink as he connected with her gaze.

Stephanie looked miserable. There was no other way to say it. Her eyes were scarlet and puffy. They were squinted, likely because she couldn't keep them open for another moment. Tangled damp locks partially shielded her face, where her skin had been drained of all color. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought she was dying of a terminal illness.

"Hi," she greeted quietly. She felt his intent stare upon her and suddenly tensed, feeling abnormally self-conscious. Paul pushed himself onto the sink counter so he was able to sit. His hazel eyes were gentle and sympathetic, as was his tone.

"Feeling any better?"

Her blue orbs wandered fleetingly. "Much."

With a subtle shake of the head, Paul sent her the unspoken message that he knew she was lying. He knew her all too well. She never was able to look him directly in the eye when saying anything but the truth.

"Okay, maybe I don't feel much better," Stephanie began. She offered him a fatigued smile. "But I do feel a little better, thanks to you."

That wasn't a lie at all. Stephanie leaned her head back against the edge of the tub, stretching her submerged legs out in front of her. Actually, her husband was smart to force her into the tub. The water really was doing wonders for her body, even if it didn't shine through in her appearance. It wouldn't be the first time Paul was right about something though. He typically knew what he was talking about when it came to these things. Spending all those years exclusively working as a personal trainer obliged a guy to learn a thing or two about client health. So now he pretty much tended to Stephanie all day and night. That went double for when she was sick.

"I knew it was a bad idea for you to come," he muttered. Something about his tone seemed remorseful, and Stephanie didn't like it one bit. It peeved her as a matter of fact. He had been all for the idea once she persuaded him that things would carry on without a hitch. Oh, the irony at how dead wrong she was. Because this was more than just a hitch. This was her past in its entirety coming back to haunt her. A shiver went down her spine. It must have been more detectable than she thought because Paul picked up on it, too. He parted his lips thoughtfully. "Do you need anything?"

"A plane ticket to London would be lovely, yes."

A sarcastic pout formed on his lips. "A realistic request, please."

"Alright then…" she started, toying with the ends of her wet hair. "How about my fluffy robe that's lying on the bed?"

Paul nodded, pushing himself off the countertop. "Now that, I can do." Even though he had been hoping for a different answer – a more suggestive one – he was still happy to help. And even if it wasn't much, it was better than sitting on his ass and wondering when his wife would snap out of this. The only thing that provided him with a shard of optimism now was that she was joking around with him. Sort of. Maybe that meant she would be back to normal sooner rather than later. God, he hoped it was soon. He hated seeing her like this. She reminded him all too much of the little girl living a life that wasn't meant for her. It was crazy to think that only a few hours ago, everything was the way it should be.

Stephanie grabbed a hold of her husband's hand as he guided her out of the tub and wrapped a warm, white towel around her shivering body. She surrendered to his embrace and allowed herself to be wrapped in his arms for a moment. Before, she hadn't even taken note that Paul was shirtless. He had probably been getting ready to go to bed previous to coming in here. Now she was feeling a tad guilty. What time was it anyways? He was probably exhausted from such a strenuous day, yet here he was trying to rid her of all sorrow – which was a damn near impossible task by the way. Paul really was too good for her. She didn't deserve him the slightest bit.

"Thank you so much, baby." She leaned up to press an appreciative, tender kiss to his lips. God knows she hadn't been acting grateful the rest of the day. Instead she all but forgot he was even there. She was too preoccupied trying to cope with her own emotions to notice his presence. Only his left arm existed, and that was there for her to clutch just to keep her fairly composed. "I know I've been an emotional mess over these past few hours and I just wanted to apol…"

She found herself being silenced as his index finger covered her lips. "Hey. There will be none of that. You have every reason to act the way you do. I just want you to know that I'm here always, Steph. If there's something really bothering you, you'll tell me…right?"

The fact that he had to verify her trust in him was a bit unnerving. Paul sounded so hesitant. It quite frankly scared her. Did her husband think she was hiding something from him? Because she wasn't. This place just gave her the creeps, period. Everything that bothered her, Paul already knew about. He had been there for the damn whole of it. She just didn't like discussing any of it. The past was over and done with. She was an advocate for moving on and growing stronger, not regressing.

"Nothing's bothering me," Stephanie stated, tying the sash around her waist after slipping into the robe. "I just don't like being here, Paul. Don't you get that?"

Ignoring her snippy tone, he nodded. _No arguments. Not tonight_. His wife had been through a hell of enough already today. Plus he was looking forward to holding her in his arms as she slept tonight. He wasn't about to blow his chances over some uncalled for dispute. Sighing, he grasped her much smaller hand into his. "I do. I just….I don't know. I feel like there are things we need to talk about. Maybe if we talk about the past a little, it won't be so painful to remember."

"But I don't want to remember it," she countered. _Stubborn as always_, Paul thought inwardly. Hey, at least he had given it a shot. The conversation was inevitable in the long run, but it didn't have to happen tonight. They would get there eventually. Hopefully. "Can we just go lay down? Please?"

Her blue eyes were pleading and exhausted. Paul had no choice but to say yes. He couldn't refuse Stephanie if his life depended on it. He nodded and snaked an arm around her waist, leading her to the bedroom. As they walked, he dropped a sweet kiss in her wet strands.

"We'll be out of this place by the morning. I promise," he hushed.

Despite the dimmed lighting, Paul did see the corners of her mouth creep into a small smile. Maybe getting the hell out of this country was the answer. It had been last time. And at this point, he didn't care if they had to book a flight to fucking Antarctica just to leave. All he cared about was protecting Stephanie, and this place had bad news written all over it.

Releasing her from his hold, Paul pulled back the covers and began stripping down to nothing. Meanwhile, Stephanie went around to the other side and removed her robe before climbing into the bed. Her damp, silky strands spread wildly over the pillow. It felt good to finally lie down. Oh, how she needed it. She admired the view of her husband's toned, naked body until he too joined her under the covers. She was overcome by an immediate heat with him being so close. It made her nearly vulnerable. It readied her to do something she wasn't so keen about doing.

"Paul?" she whispered into the darkness.

He rolled over to face her. "Yes?"

"Don't cut me off this time," she implored. When he said nothing, Stephanie took that as an indicator to continue speaking. "I'm sorry for how I'm acting. I know you just want to help and I'm shutting you out. I don't want to get into that habit, so I'm putting an end to it now." Paul extended his hand to brush her jaw line. It was a simple but sweet gesture of gratitude. And it inspired her to keep talking. "I just get scared sometimes, Paul. And I don't know why. I think of this place and recall how I once called it my home. I was stupid then. It was before you entered my world and everything changed. You're my home now."

"Keep going," he urged her. They were finally making progress. Stephanie talking about anything prior to living in the States was a miracle on its own. He didn't know what was making her open up like this, but he didn't care to be honest.

"So many bad things happened here. There were so many opportunities for Aurora to be taken away from us. Somehow we dodged every one though. And you," she whispered. Reaching out to caress his cheek, she felt his stubbly beard tickle her palm. "You could have been taken away from me so many times that it isn't even funny. I love you so much, baby, and I'm constantly scared that I'm going to lose you."

Seeing that she was on the brink of tears, Paul pulled her into his warm body. "You won't lose me, Steph. I'm not going anywhere."

"But how can you be so sure?"

"I just know," he murmured. Paul was caught off guard himself at Stephanie's admission. Never had she mentioned anything like this to him. She shouldn't be thinking this way at all. But her tears spoke louder than her words themselves. His wife legitimately feared that he would up and leave for no apparent reason. Stroking her hair, he felt her snuggle into his chest. "Is that what bothers you, Steph? The thought of me leaving you?"

She pulled back in silence. Her head made no movement, but her eyes told him there was more to it. "Not you leaving me…" Her voice trailed off. There was a pause while she gathered her thoughts. "But something bad happening to you."

"Now why would you think that?"

Stephanie exhaled anxiously, as she stared deep into her husband's hazel eyes. "Paul," she began seriously, her voice overwhelmed with fright. "I don't think the man flying our plane was a real pilot."


	5. Chapter 5

Once again, this goes out to Brittani for being all sorts of awesome. Thanks for taking such an interest in this one. 3 updates in 3 days! What is this! Lol. Also for Erica because I owe her a trailer that I keep putting off. She loves me anyways...I hope.

Enjoy!

* * *

"What do you mean the executions have been postponed?"

The messenger who felt puny in the presence of the strident ruler lowered his head fretfully. Eye contact was absolutely unacceptable. One hundred and fifty percent unacceptable. Scratch that. Two hundred percent. Any who disobeyed could claim themselves a seat on death row along with the rest of the nation's inhabitants. Gary, the young herald, tried to remember a time before things had become this awful. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but in reality, the suffrage only started a few years ago. Less than a decade.

Upon realizing that the king was still awaiting a response, he piped up.

"Well, um…there's not enough time, sir. The…um…executioners are having t-trouble fitting in all the deaths as it is. And…um…they need more s-space to d-dispose of the b-bodies," he stuttered. Standing merely feet before the king was the most intimidating experience he would ever have to endure in his lifetime.

Vince rolled his eyes. He shouldn't have to listen to these petty peasant problems. Didn't he have people to do this for him? Apparently not. He really should make a mental note to hire someone for this. He had much more essential tasks to fulfill. To be frank, he didn't give a damn what his workers decided to do with the corpses. They could roast them over a bonfire for all he cared. The grey-haired man eyed the courier. "The solution is a simple one really. But as usual, I wouldn't expect any of you idiots do think it up. Throw them into the ocean!" He paused. "Or something."

Gary nodded meekly. There was no point in questioning King Vince. His orders were gospel around here. Anything that fell from his lips was. People who thought otherwise quickly learned of their wrongdoing. While they were sitting on death row, of course. God knows how they still had a population consisting of a four digit number.

Life was brutal. The nobles dictated almost every aspect of their daily routines. Babies could not be born unless their names were selected from a list of prior approved ones. Certain names did not make the list. "Paul" and "Stephanie" were among the rejected names for obvious reasons. If by some chance, there was a flaw in the system and a child was misnamed, the child would be killed at once. Immediate death. The same went for its parents. No questions asked. Adults who already possessed banned names before the list was issued were not safe either. Death awaited them, too. In all of its cold misery. Vince's lips upturned at the thought. Death awaited everyone at some point. But he would do whatever he could to shorten their wait times. Everyone needed to be punished. Humans were natural sinners. They were liars, cheaters, thieves, and murderers. Every last one of them. They all must die. And then rot in bloody hell!

"Dear?"

He silently cursed his wife for interrupting his train of thought. Such magnificent thoughts they were, too. Damn it! The throne room really did need a door with a bolted lock. Either that or he needed to amplify security around this place. Two more things to make mental notes of. He didn't notice the herald scurry away, who hardly acknowledged Linda McMahon's arrival.

"What is it, Linda?" Vince all but snapped.

"Vince, I think you need to take a break," she began austerely. Her eyes were so cold, blue as they were. She had aged atrociously over the past few years. Vince could never recall seeing so many wrinkles on his wife's face. Of course, he would never tell her that. The old witch would have a fit. She lived for the opportunities to bite his head off. Deep down, Linda was still pungent over the loss of their biological children and apparently taking her anger out on him was the answer. She was blaming him of all people. Evidently, she was dumb, deaf, or blind. Maybe all three. That bitch! Money and power were the sole two reasons she stuck around. And for the kids. She did actually grow fond of them over time and was ecstatic at the notion of finally becoming a grandmother. Their marriage, on the other hand, had become loveless years ago, perhaps even long before disaster struck their family. Not that it bothered him.

"And why is that?" he questioned, raising his brow suspiciously.

"I think you need to spend some time with the family. You do have a grandson, you know."

Vince's expression noticeably softened at the mention of his grandson. Oh, how young Marvin Kurt McMahon was his pride and joy. The center of his whole world. Charming like his mother and a genius like his father – good-looking like them both. Already at five years old, he was proving himself worthy as an heir to the throne. Just the other day, he made a snide remark about peasants and how the world should be rid of them. Tearing up at the precious memory, Vince allowed his lips to turn up in a smile. A fast learner he was indeed. The lad had the right idea about life. The apple clearly didn't fall far from the tree and the old king couldn't be more proud. He was going to make a grand emperor one day, after his father, Kurt.

"Ah, yes. How could I forget? I can't wait to see the young man!" he beamed.

"Well, he's been looking for you all day. Plus, Jessica and I have a _lot_ of catching up to do. She's been dreadfully busy with her media appearances as of late. She never has time for anyone, much less herself. Oh, bless her heart!" Linda paused to smile momentarily. The woman was genuinely an angel and such an inspiring role model for young Marvin. He was lucky to have such an adoring, loving mother. "Why don't we all gather for supper?"

Rising boastfully from his throne, Vince spoke, his voice echoing throughout the spacious room. "That sounds mighty swell!"

* * *

Stephanie massaged her temple with her fingertips as she sipped from the searing mug of coffee. The hot, dark liquid trickled down her throat with ease. For now it was the only fuel available to her. Sighing, she set the drink back down on the oak table. Images of home flashed through her mind. Her daughters. God, how she already missed them. She wished she could envision what they were doing at this very second, but it wasn't like she knew what time zone this horrid country went by anymore. Knowing her father, he had probably established his own way of keeping track of the hours. The slimy bastard wasn't willing to work around anything, not even the planet and its inconvenient rotation.

Her eyes naturally travelled to where her husband was pacing with a cell phone pressed to his ear. Last night, he made a promise to her that they would be out of here by morning. She believed him as she always did. But now it was looking as if they would be stranded here another day. Just wonderful. Paul had been on the phone virtually all morning, negotiating with a number of people who worked for the airline. The _only_ airline that departed from here, come to find out. The more she learned about the scenario, the more she wished she hadn't. Everything was so damn sketchy and all she wanted were some answers. But every consultant that Paul spoke with fed him the same bullshit as the next.

"It's unsafe to fly an aircraft in these conditions," Stephanie mimicked bitterly under her breath. A few of her husband's employees glanced over at her in puzzlement. She flashed them a sheepish grin before turning to conceal her blush stained cheeks. It was clear as day that none of these people liked her. They probably stumbled out of their seats when they found out she would be tagging along for this trip. That didn't diminish their hatred for her though. Hence why she was sitting alone at breakfast in the hotel restaurant – while the rest bonded in their little clique, irrefutably gossiping away about the current debacle.

She glimpsed over at Paul again, who was now violently stuffing the phone in the pocket of his jeans. As he looked up, he caught her stare and pressed his lips together tightly. His frustrated hazel eyes spoke the truth to her. The truth she was so unwilling to hear.

"Those fucking morons!" he muttered while pulling out a chair across from Stephanie. He sat down and lightly smacked his clenched fists against the table. "I hate them. They're all idiots, every last one of them. When I get my hands on them, there will be hell to pay! Fucking hell!"

Paul could literally feel the blood boiling in his ears, the vein pulsing rapidly in his neck. Why was everyone here so aggravating? He was beginning to think there was some wretched curse that made it damn near unfeasible for them to get off this island. The notion sounded like some preposterous television show plot, but that was what he had resorted to believing. It wasn't until he calmed down a bit that he recognized the numerous faces staring over at him in shock. Damn it. It had slipped his mind that all of these people worked with him. For him technically. Now they in all likelihood had him dubbed as a raging maniac. Stephanie reached out to affectionately stroke his exposed forearm.

"So I take it we're not going home any time soon?"

His eyes were full of regret as he spoke. "I'm sorry, Steph. I just…" Paul paused, not knowing what to say. Because nothing he said would make any of this better. Nothing he said would make it all go away. Times like these were when he felt like a crappy husband. Stephanie needed him now more than ever. He was the one person who should be able to free of her pain, to stop her tears. If he couldn't do that, then what was he even doing here? "I've tried, sweetheart."

God, he sounded incredibly lame. It was his half ass way of telling her that he had given up. Surely there had to be something he could do.

"It's not your fault," she murmured, caressing his soft skin. "You've done everything you could."

"But it's not enough… It never is."

Her eyes widened curiously. Cocking her head to one side, she stared at Paul like he had two heads on his shoulders. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind. Just forget about it," he said, shaking off her inquisitiveness. He pulled away vigorously from her touch. This wasn't a discussion he was ready to have, especially not here of all locations. It wounded him already to know that he wasn't capable of consoling his wife. More times than not, he just sat around until she was able to pull herself together. By herself. Alone. Unassisted. And that wasn't how things were supposed to work in a marriage. They should be able to comfort each other when the going got tough. But Paul was a shoulder and nothing more.

"You know I won't forget about it." Stephanie grabbed a hold of the hand that he had rested on the table. "Just talk to me, baby. Please?"

He forced himself not to look at her pleading stare. He would be a goner the moment he did. Truthfully, he didn't feel the slightest bit of anger towards her. The only person to blame for this was himself. So why bother starting an argument that wasn't worth the breath? "It's nothing you can fix."

"Well, I won't know until you tell me," she retorted wittily. There was a lengthy silence before she raised a question that she almost feared the answer to. "Is it something I did?"

Paul pushed his plate of food aside, still refusing to make eye contact with her. "You know, I'm not really hungry anymore. Maybe I could try calling the airline again." Stephanie shot him a look of disbelief though he didn't see it. The fact that he had hardly touched his food and now claimed he lost his appetite confirmed her suspicion.

"So it _is_ something I did."

Her husband groaned loudly. "Can we please just talk about this later?"

Stephanie parted her lips to give her response, but a disgustingly familiar voice interjected.

"Good morning, Paul," the woman said, a bit too enthusiastically. Stephanie bit down hard on her bottom lip to keep from cursing the whore out. Fucking Tiffany Saunders! With her bleach blonde hair…and her fake, manicured nails…and her prissy heels! All of the board members were pompous and shallow, but she was without a doubt the worst of the lot. She took the term bitch to a whole new level. And she couldn't have chosen a more inappropriate time to come over and get all cozy with _her _husband. Since when were they on a first name basis anyways? Fucking bitch! And she couldn't have been blunter about pretending Stephanie was invisible. Oh, the things she wanted to do to Paul Levesque. The blonde's intentions were plain and evident in her fierce green eyes. Stephanie couldn't bear to imagine how the woman flaunted herself when she wasn't present on the scene.

"Hey, Tiffany," Paul greeted politely.

He, on the contrary, was probably over the moon with regards to avoiding their conversation. Whatever was bothering him – whatever she did to upset him, he really didn't want to talk about it. Which only made Stephanie ache to know more of this conflict. He was doing exactly what she vowed not to do last night. Shutting her out. Their marriage had few flaws, if any, but this recent lack of communication impediment would put their love on the rocks in no time. And she needed Paul too much for that to happen. He _was_ her rock. If anyone could get her through this, it was him. Being here in her old home was slowly causing her to self-destruct, like when she was younger. Paul came to the rescue back then in the nick of time. It was horrible to think that she had been contemplating suicide before his arrival. But he was her knight in shining armor. He made the darkness go away. Now seven years later, she couldn't imagine life without him.

"So I gather we're stuck here, huh?" she guessed. The pretentious look on her face made Stephanie nauseous in the pit of her stomach.

"That's what it looks like. And since the airline is showing to be little help, we're just going to have to make do with this for the time being."

"Exactly," Tiffany stated. Why of course she just had to agree with Paul. He could say the sun was cold and she would be there ready with a fucking winter coat to put on him. Stephanie scowled. It's not like the chick's attention was directed at her or anything. "Thank you so much for everything, Paul. I know this can be stressful and all, but you're really doing a wonderful job. I'm confident that we're in good hands and anticipate a safe journey home."

Stephanie let her jaw drop. She sure as hell hoped Paul wasn't buying into this shit. He wasn't going to be outright rude, but surely he knew she was toying with him…right?

"Don't thank me yet," he joked. "Thank me once we're in London…or Connecticut…or really, anywhere but here."

She giggled. "You take care now."

"You too," Paul uttered as she turned around and retreated to the table of corporate pricks. He ran his fingers through his loose golden locks before meeting eyes with Stephanie once again. The expression on her face was less than pleased.

"Do you think we could leave her behind when we do get off this island?" she proposed cynically. "I mean, she fits right in with the rest of them! Maybe she can be Vince's slut. What do you say?"

Paul grabbed her hand and when she didn't protest or yank it back, he pulled her close for a kiss. And not the typical, innocent lip lock that they shared in a business environment. No, this was the kind of kiss that they reserved for the bedroom or at least the privacy of their own home. Stephanie wasn't sure what to make of his spontaneity, but there was no way she was stopping this. Maybe he was stalling. Or maybe he just pitied the fact that she had to suffer through Tiffany's blatant flirtation attempt. Whatever it was, she didn't care. Her husband tasted delicious and hopefully they could pick this up later on.

"You were saying?" he whispered huskily after they separated for oxygen. His face was still incredibly close to hers.

"I…uh…I…don't…uh….remember."

"That's what I thought. Now you say there's something we need to talk about?"

She nodded her head vigorously. Paul was being so cool and content, when before he was nothing but stubborn and uncooperative. Either their brief make out session put him in a good mood or he had something in store for her. "Yes. We need to talk." She swallowed thickly, anticipating him to shoot down her request again. An obstinate excuse was expected.

It never came though.

"Good." He tapped her nose playfully. "We're going to the lake."

"Wha…we….what?" she stammered, thinking that she had misheard him.

"You know," Paul began. "You. Me. Lake…as in a body of fresh water? Bigger than a pond but smaller than the ocean?"

Stephanie blinked and couldn't contain the dopey smile that graced her lips. She linked her arm through his, still unreservedly shocked. The idea of recreating a memory from the past was strange and unfamiliar to her. Scary, almost. But this particular one wasn't. This felt like…magic.

She glanced up at Paul with a gaze that shone brighter than the stars themselves.

"Lead the way, handsome."


	6. Chapter 6

Stephanie blinked a few times in pure bliss. She was sitting propped up against a thick tree trunk, her chestnut locks scattering in the light breeze. Absently, her orbs travelled upward, and in that moment, she swore the sky couldn't be a more vibrant shade of blue. Not a single cloud was in sight. Birds were chirping and colorful blossoms decorated the woodsy floor. This place really did contain beauty if you searched in the right spots.

Yawning silently, she outstretched her long legs and allowed the damp grass to tickle her skin. Her limbs were mostly exposed due to the pale blue dress bunching around her thighs. Through her carefree smile she hummed a merry little tune.

Wait. Why was she so damn happy? Last night – hell, a mere two hours ago – it seemed as if her entire world had come crashing down around her. The childhood she dreaded to remember was threatening to ruin her all over again. Her past was on the brink of destroying her. Emotionally, she had been a train wreck. And physically, she hadn't been far off from resembling one.

So what had changed in the span of a few short hours?

"Babe?" Her head shot up at the familiar, husky tone. She bit down on her bottom lip to refrain from smiling. "Are you coming in or what?"

Stephanie lowered her head, discreetly concealing her blush stained cheeks. After all these years, her breath still caught in her throat when he threw a glance in her direction. It was involuntary. She couldn't help it. The moment Paul's eyes connected with hers, she felt like the only woman in the world. And to him, she was. Just his simple stare made her feel beautiful and wanted. It was almost as if their surroundings ceased to exist. It was only him, her, and the undying love that radiated between them. Shamelessly, she allowed her gaze to hover over the perfection standing before her.

Her husband was literally a slice of heaven. Currently, he was walking towards her, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and his sexy, signature smirk. His tanned skin was wet and so were his lengthy blonde locks. Somehow the moisture made his muscles look even more chiseled than usual…if that was possible. He flashed her a toothy grin. She immediately felt her knees go weak and was grateful to already be sitting. More times than not, she congratulated herself for having the self-restraint to not completely maul him in public. That didn't mean the temptation wasn't always present though.

"And what are you up to, my darling?" he questioned while taking a seat across from her. A wicked glint was unmistakable in his hazel eyes. "You're not _staring _again, are you?"

Stephanie giggled at his mock horrification and swatted at his bicep.

"I am _not_ staring, thank you very much," she protested. "God, the world doesn't revolve around you, Paul Levesque."

He gently interlocked their fingers and brought their joint hands up to his lips. His mouth was warm against her chilled skin.

"Yours does." He paused while she leaned her head into the crook of his neck. Licking his lips, he allowed his eyes to shut for a moment. He desperately tried and failed to repress the feelings her stimulating scent was creating in the pit of his stomach. "I know it does. Especially when you try to hide your red cheeks like that."

"Shut up!"

Was it a feeble comeback? Definitely. Was it her fault? Hardly. The man didn't play fair, that was for sure. He knew damn well how vulnerable she was to his gentle caresses and used that to his full advantage. Even now, he was pressing tender kisses to her hair, causing that sensation of butterflies to reappear inside of her.

"You can't consider it a victory when you…do that, you know," she stated indignantly. Paul pulled away, removing his lips from the top of her head. The amusement in his expression was more than apparent.

"Do what?"

Stephanie narrowed her eyes at him. A snide remark was on the tip of her tongue, but she soon found herself at a loss for words as her husband's hand slipped underneath the hem of her dress. Gently, he began to rub his fingers back and forth over the lacy undergarment. Within seconds, the material was already soaking with hot moisture against his fingertips. To cope with the burning pleasure, she pressed the back of her head into his chest forcefully and moaned.

"Do…this?" he hushed, his lips grazing over her earlobe.

"Oh, Paul, oh…..ohhhhh."

Slightly picking up the pace with his fingers, Paul smiled to himself. All teasing and taunting aside, his name falling from her lips was the single sweetest sound on the planet. He was so certain of it. The mannerism assured him that he was doing something right. He was making her happy. And her happiness would forever and always be his first priority. Though lately, he seemed to be failing at maintaining that duty.

Then the tiniest twitch of guilt washed over him. Really, they were supposed to be talking. They needed to resolve these minor conflicts before they escalated and truly got out of hand. Thankfully, minor was just what they were for now. He needed Stephanie to know that he was here for her no matter what. Her desire to deal with things on her own was not only bad for her, but for him too. He felt like a shitty husband on the nights where she would sob her heart out, but reject his company. He felt useless…

"Oh…baby," she hissed.

Her loud, labored breathing drew him out of his thoughts. Assertively, she arched her back into his touch. Oh, screw talking! It would just have to wait until later. Right now, he had this beauty offering herself to him in every way possible. He wasn't about to pause things. In fact, Stephanie would in all likelihood slap him if he did. They were in too deep with this.

He licked his lower lip as he slid the scrap of lace to the side, exposing her completely. She spread her legs further apart in anticipation for the intimacy. By some means, Paul managed to ignore his own growing bulge. God, he longed for nothing more than to be inside of her, but right now, this wasn't about him. He was determined to please Stephanie in every way he knew how to.

"Come here, Steph," he urged quietly.

She did as he instructed until their faces came close together. Her breath tickled the skin of his throat. With one hand, he cupped her cheek and started to suck on her top lip, kissing her gently. With the other, he resumed massaging her core. She gasped into his mouth as his thumb briskly rolled over her swollen flesh. Her thighs were trembling like mad and he was barely touching her. Well, he was touching her alright, but this was rather tame in comparison to what they were capable of.

Stephanie tossed her head back, keeping her lips fused with his. If just him looking at her made her feel beautiful, well, this made her feel downright incredible. She brought her hands up to his face and skimmed over his stubble before tangling her fingers in his loose, wet strands. She deepened the kiss with all the strength she could muster, given the fact that he was still burning a hole through her most intimate area with his skilled digits.

Her entire body began to break out in a light sweat. She slipped her tongue into his mouth and swirled it around inside vigorously. She needed to taste him. Or better yet, she needed him to taste her…not up here though.

Hastily, she broke the kiss. Paul was left breathless and puzzled as she reserved a moment just to gaze into his eyes. She grabbed a hold of his wrist to remove him from her body.

"What's…wrong?"

Stephanie disregarded his genuine concern. She wrapped her arms around his neck and slowly started to lower his face to the area that throbbed for attention. He didn't fail to notice the sudden change in color of her orbs. They were significantly darker. Instead of their normal pale blue borderline turquoise, they were almost navy. Close to black, actually. When she spoke, her words were fuelled by pure lust.

"You know what I want," she murmured.

A handsome smirk soon adorned his face. He was all for pleasing his wife, but a little teasing never hurt anyone. Their sex life consisted of so much foreplay as it was and none of this should come as a surprise to her. Softly, he stroked her inner thighs with his fingertips and poked his tongue out through his teeth.

"I don't…" His voice trailed off knowingly. "Perhaps you could…explain in graphic detail what exactly it is you want me to do to you?"

Stephanie's cheeks instantly flooded with heat while her eyes went wide. Using her index finger and thumb, she flicked the side of his face. He snorted and winced in pretense pain.

"You're…you're fucking disgusting!"

This time, Paul couldn't contain the huge, goofy grin that graced his lips. He was disgusting? His ribs were literally aching from all this hilarity. God, there were so many retorts he could make right now that he just didn't even bother. Instead he sat there in still silence, which seemed to elicit more aggravation out of his lovely wife.

"Paul! Say something. Or actually…do something!" she all but pleaded.

He clicked his tongue several times before parting his lips to speak.

"Honey, did you know that you are the..._hottest_ thing ever when you're sexually frustrated? Like, I'm not even kidding. I'm so turned on right now, you have no idea."

There was no point in trying to conceal the scarlet tint that now resonated all over her face. Her eyes absently trailed downwards to Paul's boxers, where she could confirm his last statement. How the hell he was holding out so long? He was the man, dammit! Wouldn't he like…burst, if he didn't take care of his not-so-little problem soon?

"Do you know what would make me even hotter, baby?" she prompted seductively.

"Tell me."

She unhurriedly ran her thumb along his bottom lip.

"It would make me _very_ hot if you put that smartass mouth of yours to better use…"

"I think that can be arranged," he hushed as he moved her hand from his mouth and lowered himself down to her. His lips collided with her core, causing Stephanie to cry out stridently. He worked her continually with his tongue, kissing and sucking at the flesh while she struggled to handle the sensations brewing within her…

* * *

"Not bad, babe," Paul said observantly. "Though I think a significant amount of the credit goes to your instructor."

Stephanie rolled her eyes as she made her way towards her husband, using slow, steady strokes to cross the tranquil section of water.

"Paul, if I do remember correctly, you didn't teach me shit about swimming. It was all a ploy to get me wet and semi-naked before you kissed me," she countered.

Grinning at her blunt recollection of the event, Paul allowed his mind to drift off momentarily. It was pretty crazy to think that just seven years ago they were situated in this same spot, but under completely different circumstances. Stephanie was seventeen at the time, a kid in the eyes of most. She was wrongfully pushed and ordered around by her parents and unwillingly engaged to a pompous asshole. Paul, for one, never viewed her as a kid though. She was a woman, and a flawless one at that. He saw her for what she truly was. In fact, the second he first laid eyes on her, he knew she was something extraordinary.

But here at the lake, he hardly knew her. He was hired as her bodyguard and nothing more. His sole intention of bringing her to this place was to relieve some of the heavy stress she endured as the princess. Paul liked to say it was when he really _saw_ her for the first time. With her weighty makeup washed away and her body freed from the flashy gown, he had the privilege to witness Stephanie McMahon as a natural beauty.

It went beyond just that though. She was a sweetheart from the start, despite being a little lost and a lot unhappy. Their noteworthy difference in social class was meaningless to her. Come to find out later, she was a lot less innocent than she let on. She was actually quite rebellious and…dirty, though he would be the only one capable of knowing that. He smirked to himself. Images of their encounter not too long ago flashed through his mind, reminding him why he loved this woman so damn much.

"I knew it was true," she muttered as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and then did the same with her legs around his waist. "You've been in it for the sex all along, huh, Levesque?"

Playfully, he splashed her face with the water.

"Of course not," he replied. "But even if I was, I mean, how could you blame me? These past few hours have been more than enjoyable, if you know what I mean." He ended his sentence by flipping her a wink and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Normally that made her giggle like an unstable idiot. It went unnoticed though, as she slightly pulled back and tilted her head to the side.

"Hours?"

Paul nodded.

"Yeah. What's the issue?" he inquired.

"Paul, we left an entire crowd of restless, nosy executives back at the hotel. If we don't return soon, they'll start to speculate over what happened to us," Stephanie explained. He simply shrugged at her unease and rubbed his hand in a circular motion on the small of her bare back.

"Steph, I truthfully don't think there's much to speculate over. Everybody already knows that you practically maul me in my sleep," he said nonchalantly, which earned him a violent slap to the chest. "In all seriousness though, it's nice to have this alone time…you know, just the two of us."

Stephanie smiled at his thoughtfulness. She couldn't agree more. In all the years they had been together, there was never really a time period where it was just them. When they weren't battling her immediate family members, they were either popping out babies or building their business. Life wasn't slowing down, so they just had to find ways to keep up.

As she backtracked over her thoughts, a soft sigh escaped her lips. Amid all the chaos, she was left with little time to fret over their kids, though they were always in the back of her mind.

"I wonder what the girls are up to."

Paul pecked her lips briefly and said, "They're just fine, sweetheart."

"I know," she began wearily. "I guess I just miss them, that's all."

Hearing that made Paul cradle Stephanie a little tighter in his embrace. He would be lying if he said he didn't think about them nonstop. This was nothing new for him though. Out of the two of them, he was always the one to go away on business if necessary. Stephanie, on the contrary, spent every waking moment with their daughters. And as if being here wasn't hard enough on her already! He brought his hand up to caress her cheek affectionately.

"How about tonight we find ourselves a decent phone line and give those little troublemakers a call?" Before he was even done raising the offer, her blue eyes lit up excitedly. "What do you say, beautiful?"

"Yes!" she squealed. "Oh, my babies! I need to hear about everything, Paul. It's been way too long!"

He chuckled. "They're kids, Steph. The day-to-day life changes don't start until they're teenagers, at the very least. And God help me when that happens! I thought it was bad enough living with one woman."

"Keep it up with that attitude and you'll be living with none," she retorted. Honestly, Stephanie wanted nothing more than to move past this banter and onto more serious matters. She loved being flirtatious and witty with Paul, but at this rate, they would be jumping each other again in a matter of minutes. They had already gotten sidetracked earlier…not that she was complaining. Unfortunately, she just wasn't sure how to broach the subject. Something was off and when she questioned the peculiar behavior this morning, he shut her out instantly. She didn't want a repeat of that. Fighting with him was so unnecessary and flat out irritating. On top of that, the strange behavior ceased to present itself this afternoon. So was it really worth opening this can of warms again? Well, there was only one way to find out. Clearing her throat to eliminate the silence, she spoke up. "Babe?"

"Yeah?" He met her stare curiously, sensing the underlying hesitance in her tone.

"Remember how you said we would talk once we got here?"

Paul swallowed thickly, but nodded regardless. He remembered indeed the promise he made her. He had sort of just been waiting for her to bring it up first. "Okay, then let's talk."

"Well, that's a good start," Stephanie pointed out lightheartedly. She exhaled and gently kneaded his upper back with her fingertips. "Look, it just seems like you get angry with me at times and I'm not sure why. Like this morning. You seemed bitter and were short with me for a while there. Paul, if I'm doing something wrong, please tell me."

He let his eyes fall on the water while he sorted out his thoughts.

"First of all," he started off, "I don't get angry with _you_, Steph. I get angry with myself. Let's just clear that up before I go any further."

"Elaborate, please."

Paul's lips upturned into a slight smile as he placed a hand on each of her shoulders, forcing her to meet eyes with him.

"Stephanie, I love you so very much. When we met, shit was pretty fucked up, but I loved you then, too. That has and will never change. It's no secret that we've both got some residual demons from our past though. I know you still get upset about what went down, Steph. I'll recognize that familiar sadness in a blank stare or an unshed tear every now and then. So all I ask is that you don't try to cope with all of it by yourself. Let me in, baby."

Acting on pure impulse, Stephanie tilted her head up to kiss him. It was sweet and gentle and…apologetic, because she had been shutting him out an awful lot since they arrived here. Even prior to that, she refused to discuss anything that pertained to their past. Well, now she was finally realizing that wasn't the way to go about things. Paul was completely right. She pulled away slowly and just stared at him for a second.

"I know," she finally whispered. "It's just…hard for me to…think about those things. But don't you go blaming yourself for my inability to seek comfort."

"More like _my_ inability to comfort you."

Defiantly, she pursed her lips and shook her head. Her husband was justifiably the second most stubborn person on the planet! After her, of course.

"Nope, nope, nope. You, mister," Stephanie began, poking his bare chest for emphasis, "are absolutely perfect."

"But?" Paul urged, arching an eyebrow.

"No buts about it, you big dork," she confirmed.

"Ha! There's the insult I was waiting for. Love you too, Steph!"

She smirked proudly. For the next half hour or so, they chatted about nothing in particular. Just being with each other was enough to satisfy them both. God knows what madness would occur when they finally returned to the hotel where all those haughty pricks were lurking. Having a moment alone would be damn near impossible.

When they finally dried off and finished dressing themselves, the pair headed off in the direction of their trail. Out of nowhere, Paul stopped dead in his tracks. He released his grip on Stephanie's hand, which made her narrow her eyes at him, utterly perplexed.

"What?"

"Did you hear that, Steph?" he whispered.

"Hear what?"

He delayed a response, desperately waiting for the noise to present itself again. It didn't.

"It sounded like…like something was moving in the bushes…rattling the branches," he explained, using a variety of random hand movements to illustrate the scene for her.

A devious smile crossed Stephanie's lips as she lifted one shoulder in a shrug.

"Maybe it was a snake?"

"Not. Funny," Paul seethed through gritted teeth. God, if there was anything that scared him shitless, it was snakes! His past experience with serpents wasn't exactly a pleasurable one. He frantically glanced around in all directions. Finally, a dark silhouette came into view. It vaguely resembled the build of a human. "Aha!" But just as he turned to point it out his wife, the figure vanished. In the blink of an eye, literally.

Stephanie stood frozen, wearing an expression of disbelief. She clearly didn't need him to point out anything to her.

"What the…who in the…who was that?" she stuttered.

His facial expression was unreadable as he grabbed her hand tightly. Protectively. They needed to get the hell out of here, and fast.

"We're being watched."


	7. Chapter 7

It's kind of short, but eh, it's better than nothing I guess lol. This one goes out to Britt. :)

* * *

This sheer silence would drive her to lunacy, if not the thoughts currently infecting her mind.

Aside from her own presence, the hotel room was empty. Agonizingly empty. And it shouldn't have been empty. Paul was supposed to be lying in this king-size bed too, cuddling her close into his chest. Keeping her safe. His natural body heat and hushed words of affection would slowly bring her back to a place that wasn't so dark and forlorn. He just had an innate ability to do so. Even if he thought he wasn't effectively consoling her, he was. Just being near him eased some of the ache.

Stephanie pulled the heavy comforter up past her shoulders. Without her husband here, she was cold and vulnerable. Gruesome images of the past and unknown future filled her head. She needed his warmth. She needed his embrace. When it came down to it, she just needed him.

Unfortunately, and much to her dismay, business needed him too. The call he had received just a little after midnight was pertaining to a couple of his wasted employees raising havoc in the bar downstairs. Leave it to those superficial morons to steal her husband away on account of their own stupidity. Of course, Paul wasn't pleased at all either. In fact, he was exceptionally reluctant to leave her, given that they had been virtually stalked prior to this. Hell, for all they knew, their stalker was still lurking around here somewhere. He or she could very well be waiting outside the door right now and she would never know.

Shuddering, she pushed the thought to the back of her mind. She desperately searched for a distraction.

Her weary, blue eyes fell on the digital alarm clock. A soft sigh escaped her lips as her shoulders sank. Paul had left her nearly an hour ago. But before doing so, he had gently brushed his lips against her knuckles and assured her that he shouldn't be too long. He even asked if she would try to fall back to sleep in his absence. They both knew the odds of that were highly unlikely at this point. Sleeping without him was one thing. Sleeping without him while in an emotionally distressed state was unfeasible. Regardless of that fact, she had agreed to at least try to get some shuteye. He was just being a concerned husband and it would be wrong of her to cause him needless worry. God knows he already had enough shit to deal with at the moment.

Upon looking down, Stephanie noticed that the covers were rapidly shaking. Sure enough, when she removed them, her body revealed itself to be the source of the frantic movements. Maybe she was overreacting, maybe she wasn't. If anything was apparent to her though, it was that she needed to calm down. This anxiety would only escalate if she didn't manage it now.

"Deep breaths, Steph," she whispered into the darkness.

With her eyes closed tightly, she obeyed the command to the best of her capability. Each unhurried exhale slowed her heartbeat down a little more. She counted them to pass the time. After a few minutes of repetition, she was actually starting to feel lethargic. Her head fell back gently and rested against the board of the bed. Before she knew it, she was faintly snoring, her chest rising and falling to a steady rhythm.

For that short time, all reality was lost on her, each doubt and fear abandoning her brain. The tranquility was much needed, honestly. However, a weight on her shoulder startled her out of her slumber. Her eyes shot open and she yanked away from the touch, frightened.

"Shhh, baby, it's just me."

Stephanie brought her hand up to her chest and held it there momentarily while she managed to catch her breath. Even in the utter darkness, Paul's hazel stare looked to be tender, but fretful. He was kneeling on the ground beside her, but keeping his distance. He didn't reach out for her, but that was okay. He was here. He was okay. She was okay.

"You…spooked me," she finally admitted. Her fingers found his and interlocked with them routinely. His hand actually felt chilled for once, but maybe that was just because her skin was clammy and hot in contrast. Surrendering to a deep sleep often affected her in that way.

"I'm sorry?" he tried with a sheepish smile, grazing his thumb over hers soothingly.

Quite frankly, she couldn't be angry with him, even if her life depended on it. That torturous hour she had lied awake without him felt like an eternity, and she was just grateful to be reunited with him once again.

"I guess you're forgiven," Stephanie replied. Her lips upturned into a cheeky grin. "But only because I love you and missed you and you keep me warm and safe. Did I mention I love you?"

Paul leaned forward and pressed an effortless kiss to her temple. His mouth hovered there for a moment as he breathed in her sweet scent. Stephanie could joke around with him as much as she pleased, but she would never fail to be transparent to him. Behind the lightheartedness and the laughter, she was broken. Her heart consisted of shards that he had pieced back together many years ago. Now she was struggling to keep the bandages in place and he didn't have a clue how to help.

He thought that talking to their kids on the phone earlier would have aided in that task. It did…to an extent. The eager, innocent voices of their three young daughters brought blissful tears to her eyes and a smile to her face that he wouldn't trade for the world. All of her features practically lit up when she smiled that way. She was missing them, as was he. She missed tucking them and reading them stories before kissing them goodnight. She missed packing their lunches and helping them get dressed in the morning. The most unbearable part though, was when little Murphy asked when they were coming home. His heart sank on the spot. A few days ago, Paul would have been able to respond with a candid answer. But now? Now they were indefinitely stranded, with no way of knowing how long. He simply told his little girl that Mommy and Daddy would be back before they knew it. He had never lied to one of his kids before.

"So did you get…whatever taken care of?" Stephanie wondered, yawning as the final word fell from her lips. Her voice was still thick with sleep, making Paul feel somewhat guilty for waking her in the first place.

"I did, so don't you worry about that one bit, okay?" he answered, playfully tapping her nose. She responded with a languid nod and rested her head against his shoulder, her chestnut locks cascading over his upper body.

"Kay," she mumbled.

"Come on, Steph, let's get you to bed. You can barely sit up on your own, or even keep your eyes open for that matter." The fatigued brunette complied with her husband's wishes and allowed him to guide her into a laying down position. The back of her head sunk into the pillow with ease as she slipped back underneath the covers.

Even in her drowsy state, Stephanie watched her husband with a vigilant stare as he padded around to the other side of the mattress. For some inexplicable reason, she kept sensing that he would vanish into thin air if she closed her eyes for too long. She would open them and he'd be gone. She would be alone. Completely alone and susceptible to…bad things. She mentally cringed. Oh, how she loathed this paranoia. It was constantly bugging her and she hated every second of it. In general, she wasn't such a fretful person. She was quite composed, if she did say so herself. So what the hell was happening?

She idly rolled over onto her side while Paul stripped down to his boxers, carelessly discarding the articles of clothing to the floor. All of her uncertainties ceased to exist as she caught sight of his exposed, muscular figure in the faint moonlight. He really was gorgeous. And that was an understatement. Words couldn't even begin to illustrate what a fine slice of a man he was. It still baffled her to this day that he fell in love with her, of all people really. The unenthusiastic, accident prone…_average_ Stephanie McMahon was no match for the perfection that was Paul Levesque. At least she hadn't thought so. Yet here they were, however many years later, indescribably content and very much in love.

The mattress shifted under his weight as he joined her beneath the heavy blankets. She scooted closer to him and soon found herself yielding to another deep slumber; only this time, she was cradled in the gentle embrace of the man she was proud to call hers.

Temporarily, she was safe.

But on the opposite side of the door, a man shrouded in heavy black attire jotted something down on a notepad. The dim corridor lighting made it nearly impossible to see the ink, but that issue was completely lost on him. He had places to be and people to report to. Petty problems were irrelevant and often times went unnoticed. Warily, he drew his head back so that his ear was no longer pressed against the wood. With his tongue poking out slightly through his teeth, his narrowed eyes scanned the wall for a number. The room number.

Looming footsteps instantly caught his attention though, so he scribbled down one last note, and then spun on his heel, ensuring that he remained unseen as he vanished down the empty hallway…

* * *

"It's nice of you to join us for breakfast, dear," Linda McMahon commented, sipping from a porcelain cup of searing tea.

Vince grumbled a string of syllables unintelligibly below his breath. He disregarded his wife's scornful greeting as he seated himself beside her at the breakfast table. Today was one of those fuck everyone and everything days. He was so fed up right now, and no one was willing to put forth even the slightest bit of sympathy. They could at least pretend to care! The amount of shit he had to sort out lately was immoral. His duties at the palace were weighty enough already. Now he was constantly being bombarded with irrelevant issues, and he was fucking sick of it! He was Vincent Kennedy McMahon, dammit! All other beings of life were inferior. People were supposed to willingly cater to his every need, not the other way around! Fuck, he needed a drink.

"Someone's in an unpleasant mood."

He jolted his head to eye his wife sadistically.

"Well, what do you expect, Linda? I have so much on my plate right now, and more than half of it is stupid shit that the peasants can't figure out for themselves! They think I have all the answers! What am I, some fucking crystal ball?"

The older woman lowered her head to avert his agitated stare. Vince had such a temper at times and she was left with no choice but to stick it out. It was for her kids, she always reminded herself. Her grandson, too. Young Marvin deserved nothing but the best, and she wouldn't settle with giving him anything less than that.

But a weak voice in the back of her head often reminded her that Kurt and Jessica weren't her true children. For all she knew, the biological ones that she had brought into this world and raised could be dead, their bodies lying at the bottom of some barren ocean floor. The most sickening part in all of this was that her husband would probably celebrate that fact. With a heavy heart, she sighed so subtly that Vince failed to notice. He was too preoccupied calling over a servant anyways, without a doubt to request some alcohol to tame his awful headache.

"Good morning, Mom…Dad," an overly animated voice greeted them.

"Morning, Kurt," the pair replied in unison.

The dark-haired gentleman eyed them each with a skeptical gaze, pondering what could have caused their lack of enthusiasm. He frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"Well," Vince began, groaning indignantly. Meanwhile, Linda rolled her eyes, her orbs cold as ice. It really wasn't shocking at all that he had jumped right on that opportunity to vent to Kurt. Hell, Vince seeked Kurt out for advice more than he did her nowadays. "I wouldn't say there's one thing specifically wrong, but more like a series of events that have me in a foul mood."

"Ah, just having one of those days, I see."

"Yep," the elder man concurred.

The sound of the wooden door creaking as it opened diverted everyone's stares to the area. In walked a short, stout man carrying a clean scroll in one of his trembling hands. Really, it was his entire body shaking, every hair on his skin standing erect as a blanket of goose bumps coated his pale flesh. He stepped forward apprehensively and cleared his throat.

"S-s-sir, I'm sorry to be a bother – especially during breakfast…"

"Just get on with it!" Vince interjected.

"R-r-right then," he said, his unsteady fingers fumbling to open the roll of paper. He restlessly wetted his bottom lip before paraphrasing the written text aloud. "A baby was born…"

"And this concerns me _how_?" the king hissed, his patience already diminishing by the second.

"You didn't let me finish, sir. A baby was born…and…and the baby's name is Stephanie."

Stunned silence immediately washed over the room. An eerie silence almost. The messenger stumbled backwards, fearing what was to come next. Someone had dared to cross the king by committing the ultimate sin…and now that someone was going to pay.


End file.
